The waterfall installation at teamLab Borderless Tokyo looks real, but is all lights and sound. — Photo: Philipp Laage/dpa
A pioneering collective of digital artists at Tokyo-based teamLab has redefined the art experience by creating immersive worlds made entirely from light and sound.
Since opening two museums in Tokyo in 2018, their exhibitions have become global sensations, attracting visitors with their cutting-edge, immersive experiences.
In teamLab’s universe, nothing is static. Animals made of flowers roam past and butterflies flutter away as you approach. A waterfall cascades from the ceiling, spreading across the floor, while lightning flashes in the distance, followed by a sudden downpour.
One moment you’re floating among stars, the next, you're surrounded by a sea of flowers or drifting through an ocean. Visitors find themselves wandering without a set path, guided only by their senses.
In this fluid, dreamlike environment, art becomes a living experience.
The artworks from the teamLab move freely through the rooms, expand and influence each other. And they react to movement. — Photo: Philipp Laage/dpa
A Guinness World Record attraction
The collective's teamLab Planets exhibition has been recognized as Asia's leading tourist attraction at the World Travel Awards. It also holds a Guinness World Record for being the most-visited museum by a single group of artists.
The teamLab Borderless exhibition was named one of Time Magazine's 100 Greatest Places in the World.
The collective's influence extends beyond Japan, with permanent exhibitions in Macau, Beijing, and most recently, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. New locations are in the works, including a highly-anticipated site in Hamburg, Germany.
The teamLab Borderless Mori Building Digital Art Museum has been open at a new location in Tokyo's Azabudai Hills since February 2024. — Photo: Philipp Laage/dpa
Art of an existential nature
At the Tokyo museum, visitors are invited to immerse themselves in a transformative artistic experience. Here, works of art move fluidly through the spaces, expanding and interacting with one another while responding to the presence of the audience.
The boundaries between the artwork and the viewer blur and eventually disappear, allowing visitors to become integral parts of the art.
In one interactive room, children can draw jellyfish and turtles, which then animate and glide across shimmering oceanic walls as digital projections. These sea creatures can even be virtually fed, fostering a sense of connection between the viewer and the artwork.
This visionary collective, which includes members from various backgrounds, aims to explore profound concepts and the intricate, fragile continuity of life.
Their works delve into existential themes such as life, death, creation, decay, dissolution and infinity, challenging us to reconsider our perceptions of reality.
The works of art from teamLab address existential questions about life and death. — Photo: Philipp Laage/dpa
teamLab Challenges Perceptions
Is this the future of art? Or is it art at all? The teamLab collective suggests these questions may be idle musings, leaving it to history to decide.
Their philosophy comes with a socio-critical twist, aiming to highlight the "impossibility of ownership" in a world increasingly driven by materialism.
"Today’s society pushes us to possess, creating boundaries and divisions," the collective responds to inquiries about their mission.
"We wanted to create something that resonates with people's hearts," they explain. This desire for emotional connection could be seen as kitsch. The Digital Art Museum presents a colossal visual spectacle that thrives in social media.
What’s clear, however, is their aspiration to expand our understanding of art and beauty. By encouraging reflection on these themes, they believe they’ve succeeded – after all, definitive answers can be rather boring. – dpa
